The Product Data eXchange 1.0 standard defines an XML encoding scheme that enables a total product definition to be described at a level appropriate to facilitate supply chain interactions. The scheme is defined for bill of materials (BOM), approved manufacturer list (AML), changes (Engineering, Manufacturing, Product) and references to documents describing geometric and other definition characteristics.

IPC 2571 is the umbrella specification for other IPC 2570-series specifications. It describes the Package element that is required for every Product Data eXchange implementation, as well as other common elements shared across the 2570 series. The sectional standards provide application exchange capability. IPC 2576, for instance, transfers as-built product configuration data, and IPC 2578 defines specific product definition elements such as items, changes, bills of material (BOMs), and approved manufacturing lists (AMLs).

The IPC 2570-series of standards transfer the data required to support the following business processes:

Quote request

Manufacturing

Engineering change management (including signoff)

Work in Process (not started)

Report on Quality (in development)

Report on as-built product configuration